Being a second wife is difficult

When Qinghe brought in breakfast, Jiang Wan was flipping through the storeroom register by the window.

She rummaged through the trunk to see what other usable fabrics she could find. The silver-red cloth she had sent to Aunt Liu had already been delivered by Qinghe, but there were still two bolts of light gray cotton cloth at the bottom of the trunk, which would probably be just enough to make autumn clothes for Lu Zhao.

"Madam, the servant from the Second Young Master's side just came by and said that the Second Young Master wanted to come over for a visit after school today." Qinghe placed the bowl of porridge on the table.

"Okay, let him come." Jiang Wan closed the booklet. "By the way, when I delivered the fabric to Aunt Liu yesterday, what did she say about not having it?"

"Aunt Liu was overjoyed and talked to Qinghe for a long time, saying that Shan'er would look beautiful in it."

Jiang Wan smiled and didn't ask any more questions.

She lowered her head to drink her porridge when she heard soft voices coming from outside the courtyard gate. She couldn't hear clearly through the wall, but it sounded like someone was arguing. She put down her spoon and glanced at the window.

Qinghe also heard the noise, put down what she was holding, and went out to see what was going on.

Outside the courtyard gate, two young maids who were sweeping were talking at the entrance of the alley. One was about fourteen or fifteen years old and had a broom tucked into her waistband, while the other was a little older and had a rag in her hand.

The two stood facing each other, arguing in hushed tones, neither of them noticing Qinghe approaching.

The older one spoke first, her tone admonishing: "I'm telling you, don't be foolish. It's true that Granny Ding is in charge of purchasing and has money to spare. She's usually close to Aunt Zhou, and she handles the monthly allowances for the east courtyard. But do you know who she's been hooking up with lately? That Sister Cui'er from the second branch of the family, she's always hanging around her. If you fawn over her, she'll use you as a pawn, and you'll have nowhere to cry."

The young man was displeased and slammed the broom on the ground: "How am I confused? I just wandered around there a bit more, I didn't do anything. Do you think everyone is like you, content to be a sweeper for life? If Granny Ding were willing to say a word and transfer me to the purchasing department or to the second branch of the family as a errand boy, wouldn't that be better than sweeping this alleyway for the rest of my life?"

"You still want to go to the second wife's house? Can you afford to offend the people there? Sister Cui'er has even driven away several of the maids in her own courtyard. How many days could you possibly stay?"

"You know that already—"

"How could I not know? Granny Ding used to be close to Aunt Zhou, but how many times have you seen her with Sister Cui'er lately? Last time Sister Cui'er came from the other side of the alley with a bundle in her hand, Granny Ding saw it and stuffed it into her sleeve. The two of them whispered to each other for a long time. Do you think I didn't see it? If you wade into that muddy water and something happens, you'll be the first one to be thrown out and take the blame."

The younger man opened his mouth to retort, but before he could speak, he caught sight of Qinghe out of the corner of his eye, and his expression changed instantly. He tugged at the older man's sleeve, and when the older man turned around and saw Qinghe standing a few steps away, the two of them immediately fell silent, curtsied, and adopted a polite tone: "Sister Qinghe."

Qinghe stood there and glanced at them, not immediately reacting, and asked, "What were you arguing about just now?"

The two maids exchanged a glance, and the younger one lowered her head and remained silent.

The older woman hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Sister Qinghe, we were just chatting casually. We were talking about how Granny Ding and Sister Cui'er often meet at the other end of the alley. The younger ones, being naive, tried to curry favor with Granny Ding, and I advised them against it. We were just being nosy; we shouldn't have said these things while on duty."

After listening, Qinghe understood.

She didn't pursue the matter, only saying, "Don't gossip while you're on duty. If the head maid hears you, you'll get scolded again. Everyone, go back to your work."

The two maids responded and left.

Qinghe turned and went back to the courtyard. She walked up to Jiang Wan and told her everything she had just heard. She added at the end, "Madam, even the cleaning maids saw Cui'er and Granny Ding meet in the alley. I'm afraid there are more than just one or two people in the mansion who know about it."

She put down her bowl of porridge and suddenly said, "I've been married into this family for almost two months now. I've only been concerned with the rules of my own courtyard when it comes to the affairs of these maids. I've never thought that they could see so many things."

She paused, then continued, "The two maids who were arguing today were really just looking for a way out. One wanted to curry favor with Granny Ding, and the other was advising her not to get involved in this mess. You're right, this matter probably isn't just known to one or two people; even the cleaning maids know about it, but no one dares to say anything to their superiors."

"Summon Qiutang and the other maids; I have something to tell them."

Jiang Wan said, "While you're at it, go and find out what else Cui'er and Granny Ding talked about besides carrying their bundles when they met. Ask discreetly, so as not to arouse suspicion from the second branch of the family."

Qinghe responded and turned to leave.

Jiang Wan sat by the window, picked up the bowl of porridge that was already half-cold, and slowly took a sip.

Qiutang, Yunzhi, and Xiaoman were the three head maids in her courtyard.

Qiu Tang is in charge of clothes and trunks. Although she is only 17 years old, she is very steady, doesn't talk much, and is efficient. She used to work in Madam Gu's courtyard before being assigned to Jiang Wan's place. After Madam Gu left, she was transferred to manage the storeroom for a while before being assigned here a few months ago. She is more familiar with the affairs of the mansion than most people.

Next was Yunzhi, nineteen years old, who was in charge of tea and daily necessities. Although she was quick-witted, she was also serious and efficient, with a good memory. She was transferred from the old lady's side, having worked at Songhe Hall for a few years before being assigned to the courtyard. Since the old lady personally selected her, her character was probably quite good.

The eldest was Xiaoman, the oldest maid in the courtyard, in charge of chores like sweeping and relaying messages. She had initially served Madam Gu. After Madam Gu passed away, she changed jobs several times before being assigned to Jiang Wan's quarters. She was the most senior of the three maids, but she was quiet and reserved, not very talkative, and usually kept a low profile, making her easy to forget.

The three head maids arrived quickly and stood in a row under the eaves.

Jiang Wan put down her porridge bowl and went outside, standing on the steps and glancing at them.

"I've been married into this family for almost two months now. I've been busy getting to know the rules here and haven't had a chance to talk to you much." Her tone wasn't harsh, but the maids all straightened up a bit. "From now on, you'll be working in my courtyard, and there are a few things I'd like to make clear to you."

The three maids all looked up at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Do your chores as usual, and just let Qinghe know when you're done. If you have any doubts or concerns, just report them to her. Don't ask around. Don't pry into things outside. If someone asks me about things in the courtyard, just say you don't know. If you hear anything you shouldn't hear or see anything you shouldn't see, tell me first. Don't try to figure things out or make decisions on your own."

She spoke these words without any pleasantries, in a plain tone, and finished in just a few sentences.

The three maids bowed their heads and agreed.

Qiu Tang stood on the far left, head down, not moving. After a while, as if she had thought of something, she took half a step forward: "Madam, there is something I don't know if I should say."

"you say."

"A few days ago, when I went to the storeroom to collect some things, I overheard Granny Liu, who was in charge of the storeroom, chatting with someone. She said that Granny Ding had been coming to the storeroom frequently these past few days and had taken out a lot of old account books to look at. I thought this was related to Madam's job, so I kept it in mind."

Jiang Wan glanced at Qiu Tang. This maid usually didn't talk much, so the fact that she took the initiative to say this meant that she was on Jiang Wan's side.

It's definitely not right that Granny Ding, who's in charge of purchasing, is frequently going to the storeroom to look through old account books.

"You did a great job." Jiang Wan nodded, then turned to Qing He and said, "Go and get those silver earrings from my cabinet."

Qinghe responded and left.

Qiu Tang was taken aback for a moment and quickly waved her hand: "Madam, this servant did not come to ask for a reward—"

"I know you're not here to ask for a reward."

Qinghe took the earrings and handed them to Jiang Wan, who then put them into Qiutang's hand. "But you did what you were supposed to do, so you deserve what you get. Report back as usual if you have any news."

Qiu Tang clutched the pair of silver earrings, opened her mouth, and after a long while, managed to squeeze out a "Thank you, Madam," her ear tips turning slightly red.

Yunzhi and Xiaoman watched from the side, exchanged a glance, and both weighed the words their mistress had just said in their hearts.

Jiang Wan didn't rush to dismiss them, but instead turned to Qinghe and asked, "What are the names of those two cleaning maids who were arguing in the alley just now?"

Qinghe replied, "The older one is called Xiangcao, and she has been working in the manor for three or four years. The younger one is called Banxia, ​​and she has only been here for less than a year."

"Call them over too."

Qinghe returned shortly after leaving with two maids. Xiangcao walked in front, her head down and her steps hesitant. Banxia followed behind, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her face still flushed from their earlier argument.

The two of them walked to the corridor and stood still, not daring to look up at Jiang Wan.

Jiang Wan glanced at them, her tone softening slightly: "Were you talking over there in the alley just now?"

Xiangcao spoke first, her voice low: "Reporting to Madam, it was we servants who were talking. We shouldn't be gossiping while on duty. Please punish us, Madam."

"I'm not trying to punish you," Jiang Wan said. "Qinghe told me what you said when she came back. The fact that you could mention that Granny Ding and Cui'er often meet in the alley shows that you're always on duty and have your eyes open."

Xiangcao and Banxia simultaneously looked up at her, then looked down again. Banxia opened her mouth, then whispered, "This servant...this servant didn't mean to ask, I just bumped into her several times while sweeping."

"You've bumped into me several times and you still remember it, which shows you're a thoughtful person."

Jiang Wan took out two small silver ingots from her sleeve, giving one to Xiangcao and the other to Banxia. "Take these. If you hear or see anything outside, come back and tell me. You don't need to make a big fuss about it, just tell me what you happen to see."

Xiangcao clutched the silver ingot, her lips moved as if she wanted to say thank you but didn't. Finally, she bowed and curtsied. Banxia took the silver ingot and looked at it for a while before suddenly raising her head and saying, "Madam, this servant will definitely keep a close eye on things for you from now on."

She spoke softly, but with a greater sense of certainty than before.

Jiang Wan nodded and didn't keep them any longer, letting them go their separate ways.

Jiang Wan glanced at Yunzhi and Xiaoman again: "You two are the same. When you're on duty in the future, keep your eyes open. No matter what you see or hear, come back and tell me. I won't let you run errands for nothing."

Yunzhi responded first, "Don't worry, Madam, I've got it." Xiaoman followed with a reply, her voice lower than Yunzhi's, but her attitude was proper.

After Qinghe dismissed the three head maids, she followed them into the room and said in a low voice.

"Madam, I asked those two maids a few more questions later."

"They said that Cui'er and Granny Ding had met in the alley more than once or twice, at least three or four times. Each time, Cui'er would arrive first and wait at the corner of the alley. Granny Ding would come from the direction of the storeroom, and the two would exchange a few words before parting ways. Once, Cui'er was carrying a blue cloth bundle, and Granny Ding took it and put it in her sleeve. That's all they could say."

Jiang Wan didn't respond after listening, but mentally connected the dots and thought about the events.

Granny Ding flipped through the old account books in the storeroom. Cui'er met with her every few days and even handed her things. Granny Ding was in charge of purchasing, while Granny Liu was in charge of the storeroom. The two of them didn't need to interact so frequently unless they had something they didn't want others to know.

She sat by the window, and a face suddenly flashed through her mind.

"Qinghe," Jiang Wan suddenly spoke, "what else do you know about Xiaoman?"

Qinghe thought for a moment: "I haven't worked with her for long. I only know that she used to serve Madam Gu. After Madam Gu left, she changed jobs several times before coming to our courtyard. She doesn't like to talk. She does what she's supposed to do and never tries to get closer to anyone. I've said no more than ten sentences to her in total."

Jiang Wan nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

Someone who had served Madam Gu and moved around the mansion for several years must have seen more than others, but she had no intention of saying it yet.

Jiang Wan didn't rush to question her; some things are only useful when the other person is willing to speak.

"Let's leave it for now," Jiang Wan said. "There's no rush."

She turned her gaze back to the roses in the corner of the yard, which were in full bloom, swaying gently in the breeze and sending a few petals to the ground. She watched for a while, knowing that some things had to wait for the right time to be done.

The time is not right yet; we can't rush it.

Just as she finished speaking, footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate. Qinghe peeked out, quickly walked back, and said in a low voice, "Madam, Granny Gui is here."

Jiang Wan put down the booklet in her hand and stood up. Granny Gui had already entered the courtyard, her face still showing the same indifferent expression as before, revealing no emotion.

"Madam, the old lady requests your presence."

Jiang Wan didn't ask any further questions, straightened her clothes, and said, "Okay, I'll go right now."

On her way to Songhe Hall, several thoughts crossed her mind. The fact that Granny Gui came in person, instead of sending a maid, meant that her mother-in-law's matter was not insignificant.

But Granny Gui didn't seem nervous, so it probably wasn't anything urgent.

When Jiang Wan arrived at Songhe Hall, she immediately saw her wet nurse standing inside as she stepped across the threshold.

The wet nurse stood a few steps away from her mother-in-law's bed, her eyes red as if she had just been crying, clutching a handkerchief in her hand. When she saw Jiang Wan enter, she quickly lowered her head.

The mother-in-law sat on the tatami mat, her face not looking too good. The teacup beside her remained untouched, as if she had been waiting for a while.

"Grandma," Jiang greeted her in the evening.

Her mother-in-law didn't let her sit down, and immediately asked, "I heard you had someone get some white fungus soup for Wan'er from the kitchen yesterday?"

"Yes." Jiang Wan did not argue.

"Wan'er's food has always been managed by her wet nurse. As her stepmother, you shouldn't interfere in these matters without her permission." The mother-in-law's tone wasn't harsh, but every word was clear and unambiguous.

The wet nurse wiped her eyes, her voice tinged with grievance: "Grandma, it's not that I don't want the young lady to eat, it's just that she has a weak stomach, and I'm afraid she'll get an upset stomach. Madam wanted to give it to her, and I didn't dare stop her, but Madam asked without even asking me first..."

Jiang Wan did not respond immediately.

She knew she couldn't speak ill of her wet nurse to her face. Her mother-in-law had chosen her, and if she complained about her wet nurse here, it would sound to her mother-in-law as "the person you chose is no good."

The last time the wet nurse was punished, it was my mother-in-law's order. That was acceptable because the wet nurse had indeed made a serious mistake. But this time it's just a matter of a few snacks. If it happens again, it will make my mother-in-law seem to have poor judgment.

She thought for a moment, and when she spoke, her tone was a little softer than usual.

"Grandma, this is what happened yesterday. I went for a walk in the garden in the afternoon and saw Wan'er squatting alone under the rockery crying. There was no one else around, except for her wet nurse standing and talking to her. I went over and asked her a few questions, and found out that she was hungry."

She paused here, as if recalling the scene.

"You know, Wan'er's personality... she doesn't like to talk about her own affairs, and she won't make a fuss when she's hungry. But the day she cried like that, it really broke my heart to see her like that. Thinking that she ate lunch early, I was afraid she wouldn't be able to hold on until evening, so I asked someone to go to the kitchen and get her a bowl of white fungus soup."

"Later, I asked the physician Liu from the manor to take a look. The physician said that Wan'er's health was not seriously affected. Although her spleen and stomach were a little weak, the white fungus was neutral in nature, and it would be fine for her to drink a bowl of it warm."

She spoke calmly and unhurriedly, as if she were talking about something very ordinary: "I also know that Wan'er's affairs should be handled by the wet nurse, and I shouldn't overstep her bounds."

"But it was almost dark by then, and the child was still squatting there, crying from hunger. I really couldn't just leave her there. I thought about how her biological mother had passed away early, and now that I, her stepmother, had entered the family, I couldn't just stand by and watch her cry on an empty stomach before going back. What kind of behavior would that be?"

The room was quiet for a while.

The mother-in-law picked up her teacup and put it down again. Her expression relaxed slightly, but she still didn't say anything.

Jiang Wan added, "Grandma, I'm not disrespecting the wet nurse, nor am I trying to take her job. I didn't know any rules before I married into the family; it was you who taught me little by little. You know better than I do how to behave properly. If you think I'm doing something wrong, I'll correct it in the future."

She spoke naturally, without any hint of grievance, as if she were genuinely seeking advice.

Her mother-in-law glanced at her, her gaze softening somewhat.

The room was quiet for a while. Granny Gui stood to the side without saying a word.

The wet nurse grew anxious and wiped her eyes again: "Grandma, it's not that I don't want the young lady to eat, it's just that the young lady has a weak stomach—"

"Alright," her mother-in-law interrupted her. "Is it really worth making a fuss over something as trivial as a bowl of white fungus soup? Get out of here."

The wet nurse opened her mouth, but didn't dare to say anything more, and retreated with her head down.

The mother-in-law glanced at Jiang Wan, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "You should pay more attention to Wan'er's affairs, but don't overstep the bounds of the wet nurse. You should always discuss things together. I know you mean well, but the wet nurse has been in charge of Wan'er's food for many years. Although she made a big mistake last time, she has corrected it. You should ask her about it."

"I've remembered what the old lady said," Jiang Wan said, bowing her head.

"Go."

Jiang Wan bowed and withdrew.

Qinghe was waiting in the corridor. When she saw her come out to greet her, she lowered her voice and asked, "Madam, why didn't you mention the wet nurse's refusal to give out the snacks?"

"What's the point of telling her?" Jiang Wan walked out. "Whether the old lady believes it or not is another matter. Even if she does, she won't be happy. She chose the wet nurse, and complaining about her is like slapping her in the face. She already punished the wet nurse severely enough last time. If she makes a big fuss over a few pastries this time, it will only make me, her stepmother, seem mean."

Qinghe thought for a moment: "But you didn't say that the wet nurse should discuss things with you in the future..."

"I did tell her, but not to the wet nurse." Jiang Wan continued walking. "I told the old lady. She knows what's going on and will naturally make her behave herself."

Qinghe pondered for a while and then didn't ask any more questions.

Jiang Wan didn't go straight back to her own yard, but instead turned towards the kitchen.

Qinghe caught up and asked, "Where did Madam go?"

"Go and say a few words to Granny Zhou."

Granny Zhou, who works in the kitchen, is the old lady's personal attendant. She has been in the mansion for over twenty years and is in charge of the purchasing and kitchen.

Jiang Wan has been married into the family for over a month. She has met Zhou Mama a few times, but they haven't exchanged more than a few proper words.

Granny Zhou was checking the freshly delivered vegetables in the back of the kitchen when she saw her arrive. She put down the list in her hand and came to greet her: "Madam, what brings you here? The kitchen is smoky. If you need anything, just send a maid to let me know."

"Is Granny busy? I'll just say a few words."

Jiang Wan smiled and said, "Yesterday I took a portion of white fungus from the kitchen. I was worried that it wouldn't be easy for the kitchen to record it, so I came over to let you know. I'll deduct it from my allowance later, so please don't be shy, Granny."

Granny Zhou waved her hand: "It's just a bowl of white fungus soup. Madam, you're being too polite. The kitchen always has a surplus. There's no need to disturb the accounts for such a small amount."

"Rules still need to be followed." Jiang Wan's tone became more serious. "As a newlywed, I can't let people say I don't know the rules. Deduct what should be deducted, and the nanny can just write it down."

Granny Zhou glanced at her, her smile lines deepening slightly: "Madam is a sensible person. Alright, I'll put it on Madam's tab and settle it at the end of the month."

"Thank you for your help, Granny." Jiang Wan smiled again. "Granny has been in the household the longest. I don't know any of the rules in the kitchen, so please give me some pointers."

"You're too kind, Madam," said Granny Zhou. "The rules in front of the Old Madam are the rules in our household. If you follow the Old Madam's rules, you can't go wrong."

Jiang Wan nodded, said no more pleasantries, and turned to leave with Qing He.

Qinghe didn't speak until they were outside the kitchen courtyard: "Madam, did you make this special trip just to talk about this?"

"Granny Zhou is in charge of the kitchen accounts, and I'll inevitably have to deal with her in the future. I'll pass on a message to her today so that she knows I'm a person who follows the rules and doesn't take advantage of others."

Jiang Wan said, "If anything happens in the future, she will be willing to take a closer look."

Qinghe thought for a moment, then said "Oh," and muttered, "So, is that bowl of white fungus soup from yesterday really going to be deducted from your allowance?"

"So be it. A bowl of soup isn't worth much, but it'll let Granny Zhou know that I'm not one to take advantage of others, and that's valuable."

Jiang Wan kept walking, "Besides, if Wan'er wants to eat white fungus soup in the future, it's more worthwhile for the kitchen to take extra care of her."

Qinghe didn't ask any more questions.

Jiang Wan walked at a moderate pace. The sun had already risen high, and the light from above shone down, shrinking her shadow into a short, insignificant ball.